1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image reproduction apparatus, and more specifically to an image reproduction apparatus with a single-screen display mode for displaying a single normal image on an entire display screen and a multiple-image display mode for dividing the display screen into a plurality of screens and displaying a reduced image on each divided screen.
2. Description of the Related Art
Digital still cameras have been conventionally provided with a multiple-(e.g. nine-)screen multi-reproduction mode for retrieving a desired image from a plurality of images recorded in an image memory incorporated therein.
In the nine-screen multi-reproduction mode, as shown in FIG. 6A, a monitoring liquid crystal screen 50 of a still camera is divided into nine screens in three rows and three columns and nine reduced images P1xe2x80x2-P9xe2x80x2, the contents of which are represented by the letters A-I in the figure, read from an image memory are respectively displayed on the nine divided screens. Reduced images P1xe2x80x2-P9xe2x80x2 have image numbers 1-9 displayed at their respective lower right portions and a selection mark M is displayed in any reduced image (P1xe2x80x2 in the figure) of reduced images P1xe2x80x2-P9xe2x80x2.
Selection mark M can be moved by one divided screen, by operating a forward/backward screen-feed button (not shown). For example, when the forward/backward screen-feed button is pressed at the forward feed side twice in the state shown in FIG. 6A, selection mark M moves to reduced image P3xe2x80x2, and when it is pressed once more, selection mark M moves to reduced image P4xe2x80x2 in the second row. When the forward/backward screen-feed button is pressed at the forward feed side nine times in the original state, reduced images P1xe2x80x2-P9xe2x80x2 disappear so that another group of reduced images P10xe2x80x2-P18xe2x80x2, the contents of which are represented by the letters J-R in FIG. 6B, are displayed and selection mark M is displayed in reduced image P10xe2x80x2 in the first row and column, as shown in the figure.
When selection mark M is placed in a desired reduced image (e.g. P14xe2x80x2) and a setting button (not shown) is pressed, reduced image P14xe2x80x2 is enlarged and displayed on an entire liquid crystal screen 10. It should be noted that selection mark M and the image number are manually or automatically erased from screen 50.
However, the nine-screen multi-reproduction mode of the conventional still camera is time-consuming in image retrieval, since the nine reduced images P1xe2x80x2-P9xe2x80x2 displayed on liquid crystal screen 50 are replaced with the subsequent group of reduced images P10xe2x80x2-P18xe2x80x2 by operating the forward/backward screen-feed button nine times.
A main object of the present invention is therefore to provide an image reproduction apparatus capable of rapid image retrieval.
Briefly summarizing the present invention, a storage device stores a plurality of image groups each including first to Nth reduced images and a normal image corresponding to each reduced image, a multiple-image reading portion reads and displays the first to Nth reduced images of an image group on first to Nth divided screens, respectively, and a portion feeding multiple images forwards/backwards controls the multiple-image reading portion to read the first to Nth reduced images of the group subsequent or prior to a group. Thus, the reduced images on the first to Nth divided screen can be fed forwards or backwards at one time and the images stored in the storage device can be retrieved rapidly.
Preferably, the present invention also includes an image selecting portion for selecting a desired reduced image from the first to Nth divided screens and a single-image reading portion for reading from the storage device a normal image corresponding to a reduced image selected by the image selecting portion and displaying the normal image on the entire display screen so that a desired reduced image displayed on a divided screen can be enlarged and displayed on the entire display screen.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.